Photos and video from the UN headquarters in Colombo today
Photos courtesy Vikalpa, and more will be added anon. Others taken by blogger Indi Samarajiva can be seen here.
Google has the latest updates from all web media, including tweets and blogs. Our curated Twitter news feed also features the latest updates from sources like @DMbreakingnews.
More videos from Vikalpa can be accessed here.
8 July 2010: For more videos and updates, read The protest by Wimal Weerawansa against the UN in Sri Lanka: Condoned by government? on Groundviews.
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When the Government of Sri Lanka(SL) thought in May last year that the the massacre, state terror, subjugation and genocide of Tamils was the best solution to dismantle the struggle for the independence of Tamil Eelam(TE), they failed to understand and recognise the need for accountability to the rest of the mankind for its crime against humanity.
Commendably, the United Nations Advisory Panel(UNAP) appointed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, to investiogate the war crimes committed by the soldiers in SL, will call for accountability.
Dictators and totalitarian regimes always are defiant whenever any move is taken by the UN to implement its Charter.
Such regimes work together as a “cartel”, like the drug barrens. They are often angry and vitriolic; willing to push themselves to the brink, whenever mankind tries to preserve its rights.
Grim and troubling reports o gruesome murders, tortute and genocide of Tamils of Sinhala totalitarian state of SL were telecast all over the world.
But, Russia and China, believing in eliminating people to eliminate a problem as in Chechenya and Tinnamen Square respectively, are suporters of SL.
For the past 60 years the people of SL could not solve the “ethnic problem” but China says that the people of SL can solve their own problems.
Surely, it is silly and stupid talk to support a criminal friend.
Easy solution of eliminating people is surely not the best solution. But there are insane leaders who wrongly think so.
Such persons should be arrested, brought to justice and severely punished if mankind is to be protected.
Some things never change. They will protest implementation of the 13th Amendment as well. If it came to federalism, expect riots. Don’t take them lightly, however. Consider them as a sort of de facto Sri Lankan legislature. They didn’t want the Banda-Chelva Pact – it didn’t happen. They didn’t want S.W.R.D, period – he’s definitely gone. They didn’t want Norway or the CFA – both are gone. I’ve already mentioned the fate of the 13th Amendment. Such is the theocracy!
I think it’s pay-time. Leaving aside why and how this war ended there’s no disputing the fact the security forces stand accused of war crimes.
Instead of negotiating with the UN and supporting its investigation into war-crimes Wimal Weerawansa with covert support from the government is foolishly demonstrating outside UN headquarters in Colombo alng with Buddhist monks.
This is further stark evidence and ammo for UN and western powers at whose mercy we are to bring Sri Lanka to account for its performance in the last throes of the war.
The writing is on the wall; black and white. There is fool-proof evidence and enough witnesses that the security forces went on a mad rampage annihilating civilians in their thousands. The world is not blind.
GL and others crying foul that they would not give visas to UN panel of inquiry further consolidats the fact the government has much to hide.
Now Japan say if it gives grants for rehabilitation then it can also demand full inquiry into what happened 13 months ago.
The time has now come for the government to coem clean or else it stands to lose its power among the masses. It’s not just the Tamils; the Sinhalese also lost their children, husbands and wives in the bllind patriotism th government propagated.
They are still mourning. The government has to prove it is innocent of war-crimes which it is clearly not.
Rajapakse and his elk planned the genocide of the Tamils long ago and got help from reactionaries like China, Iran and India to annihilate the entire Vanni population and scorch it beyond recognition. That is what they did in the war. There was no necessarily to bomb the whole of Vanni to kill some combatants . According to their own accounts (Mr Fonseka their military captain now a prisoner) there were only 70000 tigers. The Sinhalese went for a military solution for political problems huge civilian casualties . The Sinhala war criminals were not concerned of civilian genocide as long as they killed some rebels . This is not how military law works and human rights are preserved. The culprits War Criminals and HR violators should receive due justice at the ICCJ. UN should see that evidences are not destroyed by the Sinhala government using the massive military which are too big for a small and poor island and maintained at borrowed money from the supporting country like China.
Somebody should import thinking caps. Looks like there is a big market.
import of thinking caps?
what of homegrown solution?
theravada buddhism has no answer?
Is this what Mahinda Chindana can give us?
Justin,
Bravo!!!
“Dictators and totalitarian regimes always are defiant whenever any move is taken by the UN to implement its Charter.
Such regimes work together as a “cartel”, like the drug barrens. They are often angry and vitriolic; willing to push themselves to the brink, whenever mankind tries to preserve its rights”.
“But, Russia and China, believing in eliminating people to eliminate a problem as in Chechenya and Tinnamen Square respectively, are suporters of SL.” >>>>>
You are absolutely correct it is so disgraceful and absolutely intolerable… However i think you missed a few others….
and do not allow the UN Charter to be implemented. They hijack the UN by lying to the UN Gen Assembly and Security Council about non existent WMD’s and still get away because of these “cartels” they form… Shame shame ….and they have the audacity to somehow stop the actions whenever mankind tries to preserve its rights…. 
do not forget…….
The US and Israel and their position on Gaza….. US, in S. Korea and Vietnam (carpet bombing, Agent Orange, Napalm), US, UK, EU in Iraq and Afghanistan (unmanned drone attacks and 1/2 million civilian death till now and counting and how many tons of bombs???) Quite right old chap, Quite right… they work together as “cartels” like the drug barons (note the spelling)
So when you say…..
“Easy solution of eliminating people is surely not the best solution. But there are insane leaders who wrongly think so.
Such persons should be arrested, brought to justice and severely punished if mankind is to be protected”…………
I agree with you 100%… Lets bring all these leaders who used Agent Orange, Napalm, carpet bombing, unmanned Drones, Millions of tons of Bombs on Civilians and killed over 500K in Iraq only.. those leaders who lied to the UN about WMD’s in Iraq etc. etc. to justice!! Lets arrest them and punish them severely for the protection of mankind!!!
Bravo, Bravo Bravo!! My good man!!!
It never ceases to amaze me to see Pearl Thevanayagam, supposedly a journalist of some repute and experience, make random comments on posts and conclude that her opinions are “undeniable proof” (or variations thereof).
That said, there is no excuse for Wimal’s behaviour. Interesting that he chose a day when Mahinda is abroad.
Surprisingly, though, even segments of the theocracy seem to be oppose this: http://www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/4906-jhu-slams-un-protest.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1292634/David-Miliband-gurned-inquiry-alleged-torture-cover-ups-announced.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Reposted from someone else’ comment in a thread that only 3 people are following.
Dear Realist,
There is no supposedly. I am a journalist of integrity. Please refute my arguments if you will. I never sold myself for perks or privileges.
I still struggle to make ends meet. When I was offered a house and telephone facilities by ministers I declined.
As for my arguments I never said they are the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Commentators have disputed my opinions and I have responded.
What exactly is biting you.
Realist,
“Interesting that he chose a day when Mahinda is abroad.”
This can be interpreted in two different ways. 1st meaning–the Minister didn’t have Prez’s support and so waited for him to leave the country. 2nd meaning–the Minister did have Mahinda’s support, but the decision was taken to protest when the Prez was out of town so as to avoid implicating His Highness in the action.
Given how the protests have been handled, with the police behaving as if they had been given instructions not to stop the protests, I’m inclined to stick to the 2nd meaning. Clearly, Weerawansa, as the Engineering Services and Construction Minister, has no command over the police.
I am caught between two evils here.
1- There is no doubt that there was a huge loss of civilian life, right throughout our entire war period. How practical is it to account for the loss of civilian life in a war and bring it to justice? All wars are crimes against humanity anyway. I do not understand how and why then are we merely focusing on this last phase of war.
2- And look whose talking here? US and UK! What do you call decimation of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan? What do you call centuries of colonialism? And those two countries that engaged in such horrors, now acting as do-gooders have the gall to accuse Sri Lanka of war crimes? This is comedy at its best.
I think we should not give into UN – the spineless US-puppet oraganisation that it is. But I’d hasten to add that righteousness, justice, fariness and equality are and were never the forte of Sri Lankan politicians.
Hey Realist,
Thanks for that Post on Miliband…. I saw it somewhere else too… Its hilarious isn’t it???
It is so ironic that these Paragons of Virtue have now got “caught with their knickers in a twist” as that old English saying goes…..its amusing to see their supporters who at a drop of a hat pick on SL and are extremely vociferous in their condemnation of SL in the name of “human rights” and all such other catch phrases… are quite satisfied with closed door non public “hush hush” inquiries and never call on old Ban Ki to have one on them….
These hypocrits will always be around….therefore as that old Arabian saying goes….”though dogs bark the caravan moves on” and so shall Sri Lanka!!!
Oh..the Motley Crew of Sri Lanka bashes are at it again. These are the people who are the happiest if Sri Lanka sinks to its death.
These are the bigots of the bigots. Asking whether Thervada Buddhism doesn’t have an answer is one such question.
These are the tell-tale marks of the anti-Sinhalese,anti-Buddhist elements who are behind the campaign to condemn Sri Lanka.
Weerawansa and the Sri Lankan people have demonstrated their right to protest.
@Pearl: I am referring to the recent threads that you have commented on where I have asked you to prove the assertions you have made, whereupon you have simply twisted and turned the topic in every direction to divert from the question you were being asked. Much like the red-herring journalism of your former newspaper, which, in your eyes can do no wrong.
@diffperspective:
The dogs will die of old age and the caravan will have left the road and overturned in a ditch, but Miliband and his ilk will still be there to try and remove the speck from other’s eyes without removing the log from his own eyes.
Dear Realist,
I refer you to google Frontline Club Events where there was a discussion on Sri Lanka on July 6 comprising a panel from AI’s Yolande Foster, Douglas Wickremaratne, Jonathan Miller(Channel 4) and Edward Mortimer (former UN advisor) chaired by Stephen Sacker of BBC’s Hard Talk.
I honestly cannot argue with you when say the rabbit has three legs.
If it is Sunday Leader you are referring to then I have alreaady expressed my views on Sunday Leader criticising it for supportig the UNP at one point. But Lasantha allowed me the freedom to criticise the UNP as well as the vgovernment. That is what freedom of expression is all about. And he paid dearly with his own life.